The debate on the relationship between health and disease since ever has fascinated researchers and philosophers as Georges Canguilhem and has permeated modern thought in particular with Michel Foucault and his work on madness. For the majority of us health is simply the absence of disease. According though to the World Health Organization, health is instead a complete state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.



Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948.